


A skin-to-skin touch

by Elendil_sama



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Female Hange Zoë, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:33:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23394067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elendil_sama/pseuds/Elendil_sama
Summary: Coming back from a difficult mission outside the walls, Levi is exhausted and longing for his bedroom. When he gets there, the sight he sees makes him freeze.Levi catches Hanji cleaning his room and doesn't expect what's coming."It wasn't really a kiss, just a skin-to-skin contact, but it was enough to send a jolt of electricity through his whole body. "
Relationships: Hange Zoë/Levi, LeviHan
Comments: 33
Kudos: 220





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, I'm a newly converted Levihan shipper! I discovered this ship a week before the release of chapter 126 and now I can't see anything else! This story isn't set at any particular time in the series, nor does it take into account any of the OVA (I still haven't watched them). I know that Hange is officially an non-gendered character, but they're depicted as female in this fanfiction. Light warning for swear words. I'm a French author so English isn't my first language and I don't have any beta, so forgive me for any mistakes I may have made (you're welcome to point them out).

He was walking at a slow but steady pace and didn't look up when he reached the gates of Wall Rose. His feet felt heavy from all the walking and he could see a tiny hole on his left boot, where his toe had pressed against the leather. His hair was stuck to his face on one side and he smelled like shit. He hated being filthy, it reminded him too much of another life, another him that had been weak, dirty and alone. Of a period suspended in time when he had sat in his own filth, looking at the decomposing corpse of the woman he loved most. He grimaced in disgust and spit on the ground, trying to get rid of the sour taste in his mouth. From a distance, he heard people greeting him.

"Welcome back, Captain Levi!"

"How did it go, Captain?"

He kept walking without casting a single glance around him. People were used to his silence and rude-looking manners, so they just kept on walking past him, throwing words of encouragement that he barely registered. He couldn't listen to those kind words, not when he didn't deserve them. Didn't they realize? Couldn't they see? Of course they couldn't see, he'd spent many years getting a hold on his expressions, making himself unreadable. It had been a necessity while living in the Underground, people couldn't know what you were thinking in advance, they couldn't anticipate your next move. Being obvious meant certain death. Now it was engraved in him, to be unreadable, to let nothing transpire.

Behind him, his horse gave a little huff and tugged on its reins, breaking his train of thoughts. Levi released the tight hold he had on it. The animal could sense his turmoil. The only being able to feel what he was going through was the only one who couldn't do or say a thing. He would have huffed humorously if he didn't feel so retched. Usually, he would have been riding the horse, but he didn't think he deserved that either. Not when he was the only one coming back through the gates.

He had lost a quarter of the men and women who had gone with him in an outside expedition. They were people that Hanji had sent with him to get a closer look at aberrant titans to try and see what made them act so strangely. Well no, they were supposed to take notes and then Hanji would figure out the rest. The scientist had not been able to come with them since she had been asked to go to Mitras within Wall Sina to present the results of this year's work. If she was to keep getting funded, she needed to prove that the money spent on her team was not for nothing. She needed to ensure that she wouldn't suffer from any budget cut. She had been furious at Erwin for not letting her go, but a long discussion Levi had not heard had seemed to calm her. She was supposed to leave the next day, which explained why Levi had gone first in order to deliver the precious notebook to her. The book had been entrusted to Nifa, one of Hanji's squad member, but she had lost her horse during the expedition and was riding in a cart, helping with the wounded. He had promised her he would be as quick as possible. Hanji would probably spend all night reading it and adding the findings in her presentation.

Absentmindedly, Levi tied his horse near the entrance of the headquarters and patted it a bit, silently thanking him. He then gestured to a recruit for him to take care of the horse and went inside, wiping his feet on the last step before going in. The familiar walls and scent washed over him like a soothing balm and he hurried his steps in the corridors, eager to reach his room. Technically, he was supposed to go straight to Erwin's office for a quick report, then to Hanji's lab to deliver the notebook, but he was not ready to face them yet. He needed to pull himself back together first, to remove his clothes full of dirt and blood, to clean his room. He had been gone for two weeks, which meant that by now, a thin layer of dust would have settled on his desk, belongings and bed. His sheets would smell stale and the air would have a thicker taste. His mouth turned downward in disgust at the thought. He was so tired, so drained that he felt like he was made of glass.

He turned a corner and kept walking, passing Hanji's room. He paused, leaning in a little bit to see if he could hear her, but was only met with silence. If she wasn't in her room, she was in her lab, like he thought. He tightened his hold on the notebook and continued forward, turning another corner to where the corridor leading to his room was, at the far end. He sensed more than saw someone about to collide with him and his reflexes kicked in, making him swerve to the left, avoiding the person with what looked like ease but made him grunt in pain.

"What the..." he snarled and looked up with murder in his eyes.

"Sorry!" exclaimed a voice he recognized, "I didn't mean to...Captain Levi? Why are you here?!"

"What the hell are you doing here, Moblit?" asked Levi, before taking a good look at the man.

Moblit was stripped of his Survey corps jacket and wearing a purple shirt, with his sleeves pulled up. He looked a bit dirty. He also looked terrified.

"I...I was...about to clean Squad Leader's room!" he stuttered.

Levi narrowed his eyes at him. He was holding a bucket of what looked like dirty water. Also, there was no common bathroom in this side of the corridor, which meant that he was lying. He didn't have time for this though, and didn't really care, so he turned his back on him and started walking again, only for Moblit to drop the bucket and run to stand in front of him.

"What the fuck are you doing, idiot. Move." ordered Levi.

"I...can't! There's a...a leak! In your room. I'm trying to fix it."

"You're just as bad a liar as your Squad Leader. Now move."

"Captain Levi, if you could please just..."

"Move." he said, gritting his teeth. "Or I'll make you move."

Moblit leapt to the side in a second, hands raised in surrender. Even he knew better than to argue with a pissed off Levi. The later followed his motion with a cold stare and resumed his walk. He had no idea what the younger scout was doing, but again, he didn't care at the moment. The door to his bedroom was in view and he was eager to start his coping process, to lose himself in the scent of soap and wet wood. He grabbed the knob and turned it, opening the door leading to his territory, only to freeze in the entrance when a rush of cold, clean air, washed over him. This was not how he had left the place, the light was too bright and he knew he had closed the curtains before leaving. He always did that so he could come back and have a quick nap on his desk chair after his report. Automatically, his left hand found the hilt of one of his blades and he took a second to gather his thoughts, switching back to fighting mode, before stepping in.

The sight that greeted him made him freeze again, and he felt the notebook slip from his hands.

\---------

Hanji let out an sigh and got up, wiping her forearm on her wet forehead. She threw the wet cloth in the bucket of water that had turned a dark grey and took the duster that she had found in Levi's cleaning closet. It was made of what looked like duck feathers, with a large wooden handle. She let out a chuckle as she started dusting the neatly ordered desk. She had always found cleaning to be a dull and complicated task, mainly because her room was always such a mess, with books and notes scattered everywhere. She didn't think it was necessary, not when there was so much to do. If she had time to clean, then she had time to read, or write, or both. However, Levi's room was easy to clean, because it was equipped with the minimum: a bed, a sofa and a tiny desk in the middle, next to the window. She knew how tired he would be tomorrow, with the strain of the expedition and the journey back. He would be cold and efficient, going to Erwin first before heading straight to his room for a quick nap. He would never sleep more than three hours, even after an expedition. She understood him on that matter, even she found it hard to sleep when there was so much to do.

She had been livid when Erwin had told her she couldn't go with them, asking her to stay in order to finish her latest experience so she could present it to the high ups. It had been so hard for her to watch her squad go without her, despite them telling her they would do their best to get as many information as they could on aberrant titans. Nifa had promised she would fill Hanji's notebook with observations and deliver it to her as soon as she would be back, which had been small comfort. When all had been said and the squads were ready to go, her eyes had been drawn to the small silhouette sitting on his horse, at the end of the group. He was assessing the troups, telling people to hurry, casting a cold and calculating glance over them all. Without thinking, she had walked towards him until she had been standing next to his left leg. He hadn't reacted, probably knowing it was her.

"What do you want, Four-Eyes?" he had said without looking at her.

She had stayed silent, not knowing what to say. She hadn't had any clear intention other than to close the distance between the two of them. The burn of not being able to go had seemed to flare back to life upon seeing Levi fully geared up and ready to go. Something had started rolling inside her guts, making her feel nauseated. When she hadn't answered, Levi had finally turned his head to look down towards her. Behind the steel of his cold grey eyes, she had seen a questioning glint.

"Nothing." She had croaked. "Just take care of my team, will you?"

It wasn't what she had meant to say, but she couldn't say anything else at the time. So she had watched him go, the sound of his flapping cape echoing in her head.

She set the duster on the desk and closed her eyes for a second. She hated being left behind, especially by people she cared about. She didn't like not knowing what was happening. She was the one who was supposed to always know. But with her friends so far away, she had no way of knowing how the expedition had gone, if they had good results, if any of them had died. She would have to wait until tomorrow. So this cleaning spree had been a nice way to kill the time and calm her anxiety.

She heard the door open behind her and took a dry cloth, turning around.

"Thanks Moblit, set the bucket on the floor, I just have to clean the desk and..."

She froze when she saw the figure standing in the doorway.

"Uh...Levi?"

Her heart skipped a bit, then started beating faster. He looked tired, so tired, his uniform was covered in dry mud, he had leaves in his hair and his face was blank.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked in a freezing tone.

She looked at him, ensure of what to say. She hadn't meant for him to find out it was her, mainly because she knew he would find her work to be highly insufficient and she didn't want to face his fury at finding out she had touched his cleaning supply. But part of her had felt slightly embarrassed at the idea of him knowing it was her. She had spent those two weeks in her lab, immersed in her research, only going out to sleep in her room when Moblit would threaten to bring Erwin. So she had gone to eat and bathe, the later after seeing people avoid her at the lunch room. Then she had tried to sleep, but she had just laid in her bed for most of the night. Something had tugged at her from across the corridor and she had felt the sudden need to come to this room, luring her way into getting a spare key to the place. The feel of the room, along with the light smell of everything that made Levi, had calmed her nerves instantly.

"You're a day early." she said. "Is everything..."

"What. are. you. doing." he asked again, taking a step towards her.

She knew that look and that posture. This was a version of Levi that needed to be dealt with very carefully. He was drained physically and emotionally, which meant something had gone wrong during the expedition. She took a deep breath, not wanting to unnerve him by being too harsh.

"I'm cleaning." she answered.

He looked at her and she could see the disbelief in his eyes.

"You."

"Yes."

"You're cleaning my room."

"Yes."

" _Why_?" he asked in what sounded like a pained voice.

"I..." she started before faltering.

_I thought you would like it._ She meant to say, but the words wouldn't come out. Why wouldn't they come out? She usually didn't have any trouble expressing her thoughts. Now she was speechless, pinned down by his stare. She was so happy to see him standing, alive, even though it was a stupid thought. Of course he was alive, he was Humanity's Strongest, it was never an option for him not to come back. So why did she suddenly feel weak at the knees?

\-----

He had barely had time to catch the notebook before it had started falling from his hand when Hanji had turned to face him. He hadn't expected to see her so soon and her eyes made him shake where he stood. For a moment, she had looked scared, afraid of what his early arrival could mean. He wanted to tell her now, that half of the people she had entrusted to him had been wiped away, but he was so tired that the only words that he could form were tainted with anger. It was a defence mechanism that even the wildest animals knew: when cornered, or in danger, bite. He wasn't in danger, but he did feel cornered, because _she wasn't supposed to be here_. He had it all planned while riding alone towards the gates of wall Maria: go home, clean your room, get your shit back together before facing anyone. But his shit were far from being together and there he was, facing one the few people who could read him.

And she had cleaned his room. Hanji. Who forgot to bathe for weeks on end, until he had to drag her to the common baths by her filthy hair. She had found a way to come into his room to clean it, knowing that this was something that would appease him. He had seen the look she had given him when he had been about to leave for the expedition. It was a look that hadn't left him during the two weeks he had been away, because he hadn't known what it had meant.

She set the dry clothe on the desk and scratched her head, looking uncomfortable, which only made him angrier. She was never awkward with him, not since the first time she had jumped on him to praise his three dimensional maneuver gear abilities when he had just joined the Survey. She always knew how to act with him, which made it easier for him to interact with her and others, since she often served as bridge between him and regular people. She had a way of understanding what he meant, catching the hidden sense behind his words. With Erwin, Hanji was the only one who could approach him when he was like this and she had done it countless times, so why was she afraid now?

"I'm sorry." she said. "I didn't mean to..."

"Shut up." he cut her off, but she took a step towards him.

"Levi, I'm sorr..."

In a flash, he closed the remaining distance between them, using his free hand to grab her collar and push her against the desk. She grimaced in pain but said nothing, not even moving to protect herself.

"Shut up, I said. _Shut up_. What the fuck are you apologizing for?"

_I'm the one who should apologize. I'm the one who should be embarrassed,_ he couldn't help thinking and he pushed her further into the desk. She blinked at him and in an instant, she was back to her normal self, looking down at him with piercing brown eyes.

"How many?" she asked, her voice low.

The hand that was tugging at her collar slid down to grip her shoulder tightly. If it hurt her, she didn't show it. Something about being this close to her made his inside churn in a way he did not recognize. This woman made him feel a whole set of things he did not recognize. During the expedition, he had kept the image of her face in his mind, full of concern and unsaid things. It had followed him everywhere, turning and twisting until all was left was that haunting question: what had she really meant to say before he left? He knew her enough now to read her just as well as she read him, and he knew she had wanted to say something else, something more...intimate. He had seen it in the shine of her eyes when she had looked up at him, but he hadn't been able to acknowledge it, not when he was getting ready for a dangerous mission, not when there was a chance he wouldn't be back.

"Six of the ten people you sent with me. And one of my own guys."

For a moment, her eyes got colder, losing their light, and he was tempted to step back. He forced himself to stay still, how could this woman make him want to shrivel with one glance? Why did she have that power over him? Since when exactly?

"I see." she said, and one of her hand settled on his own.

His eyes landed on where her hand was touching his, almost hiding it. A part of him, the one that liked reminding him what he was, where he was from, the part that still didn't seem to accept he was out of the Underground, that he was a Captain, made him realise that he had taken this moment as an opportunity to break eye contact. To cowardly drop his eyes in a threatening manner that aimed to hide his emotions. She had trusted him with valuable people and he had failed to bring them back alive. _Take care of my team_ , she had asked. And he had failed her. What was she thinking now? Did she regret ever putting her faith in him, the thug, the less than nothing? Did she, like him, felt like he had somehow stole this position, that he didn't deserve it?

"Levi." she called him quietly and his eyes shot back up.

He could feel his eyes widen when he was met with sad yet warm brown eyes. He realized that her hand was holding his, not gripping. She squeezed it once and gave him a small smile.

"It wasn't your fault." she half whispered, like she was too afraid to utter the words.

"What the fuck are you talking about..." he answered and this time he did take a step back. "Didn't you hear me?" he asked, trying to summon back his anger. "Is your hearing as shitty as your eyesight? I said..."

"I know what you said." she interrupted, ignoring the insult. "I'm very sad to hear it and I will take time to mourn each and every one of them. But it doesn't change the fact that it wasn't your fault."

She was using that voice, the one she used when giving orders or when she was arguing against people of higher rank. Where his own voice was low and menacing, hers was strong, like Erwin's. It was unwavering, absolute, the voice of a leader, which appealed to him on the deepest level. He was a tool, had been all his life. Even now, he was Humanity's Strongest, to be yielded against titans when necessary. He had been Erwin's shadow for years now, following his every step and command. He would follow him to his death if the Commander asked it of him. But Hanji was pulling at a different cord, one that was deeper within his soul, in a place he had closed off when his mother had taken her last breath. He wanted to follow her as well, but not to his death, nor hers. He just wanted to...what did he want exactly?

"It was. And I'm the one who should apologize." he said after clearing his throat. "You entrusted them to me."

"They knew where they were going." she answered, taking another step towards him.

He did not move. Again, he looked away, cursing himself, and took a look at his room. It was not nearly as clean as when he did it, but it was enough for him to feel slightly better.

"Yeah sorry about that." she chuckled. "I was expecting you tomorrow, so I only did so much..."

"You did great." he said, looking at his bed, which had new sheets.

When she didn't answer, he looked back at her, and saw that she was looking at his hand, the one holding the notebook.

"Is that..."

"Yeah." he said, awkwardly. "I thought you would want it for tomorrow."

He handed it to her and, after a moment, she took it with shaking hands, he saw the fear in her eyes.

"Is Nifa..." she asked, head bowed.

"She's fine." he quickly answered, cursing himself once more.

"Good." she said, holding the notebook to her chest. "Very good."

He observed her and she smiled softly at him.

"You should probably go bathe before diner. You look like shit." she joked.

He would have snorted if he had the strenght, that was rich, coming from her. But hearing the lightness in her voice almost had him topple to the ground with relief. His shoulders sagged and he nodded tiredly before starting to remove his cape and jacket. He probably wouldn't make it to diner, given how exhausted he felt.

"Or, you know, I'll bring you something to eat before going to the lab."

He looked at her again, halfway through removing his leather straps. It was time like those, when she seemed to read his mind that made him feel light-headed.

"Um. Thanks."

"Ok, I'll go then, Moblit will come back to finish if you want to."

"No need. I'll do it when I'm done."

"Alright, see you later then." She looked at him for a few more seconds and he had that sensation again, that she wanted to say something.

He wanted to encourage her, tell her it was okay, that she could talk to him, but as per usual, the words got stuck somewhere between his brain and mouth. All he could do was look at her with bloodshot, tired eyes before letting out a sigh, frustrated with himself. She took a step back when he did and he cursed himself some more, understanding that she may have taken it as a sign of impatience from him.

"Yeah ok, sorry. I'm letting you rest. Bye." she said, waving at him one last time before leaving through the door.

In her haste, she forgot to close the door. It was fine, his door was the last one and didn't face any other room. He turned his back on it, trying to gather what was left of his strength to keep undressing.

"Shit." he muttered, his hands fumbling with his belt.

He had done it again, him and his stupid attitude, stupid emotionless face. Usually, he could get away with it, Erwin understood him and Hanji was almost always there to translate when he was with other people. But who was supposed to translate things to Hanji in situations like those?

"Shit." he gritted.

He was about to give up and just lay on his bed with his dirty clothes when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He knew it was Hanji, recognizing her fast and strong gait. She probably had forgotten something. He didn't turn back when he heard her entering his room, but straightened slightly when he realised she wasn't slowing down. He was going to ask what she was looking for, when he felt a pair of arms encircling him. He froze. In any other situation, he would have grabbed the closest arm and twisted until the person was on the ground. But this was Hanji, so he stood still while she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face in the back of his neck that was exposed now that he was only wearing his shirt. She took a deep breath and he expected her to draw back, complaining about how foul he must smell. But she exhaled with a shudder and repeated the action. For the first time in years, Levi didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to raise his hands to touch her forearms, but he was unable to move. He could smell the soap she had used and the smell of her hair. He would have made a remark about her being clean if he wasn't this bewildered.

"Oi." he said, searching for an insult to throw at her, just so she would talk to him.

But any idea he had got wiped clean when she raised her head to press her mouth against his neck. It wasn't really a kiss, just a skin-to-skin contact, but it was enough to send a jolt of electricity through his whole body. He could feel his hands jerk in an aborted movement, but before he had time to register what was happening, she talked against his skin, making the hair on his nape rise.

"I'm so glad you made it back alive."

He stood still for a second before the words finally sunk in.

Oh. _Oh_.

This was what she had meant to say that morning, when they were leaving, wasn't it? She had asked him to take care of her team, but she had looked at _him_ with concern because she had been afraid he wouldn't make it back. For the first time, she had seemed afraid _for_ him, which was something he had almost never experienced. People were afraid _of_ him, not for him, not since the time he had been living in a brothel with his mom. Something inside him suddenly realized that it was this look of concern that had made him come back before everyone else, that had made him stop at her door, for a chance to see her. He turned his head to his right, trying to catch a glimpse of her, but she let go of him and turned away before leaving once again. This time, she closed the door behind her. It took him a moment to regain control over his body and raise a hand to the spot where her lips had touched him. He stopped just above it, not daring to touch. His body seemed to have forgotten the road and the sleepless nights, he was fully aware now.

What the hell? 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I'm back with the second and last chapter of this story. I had not expected to write more than the first chapter, but thanks to your kind messages (and the lock down), I decided to continue. This chapter has more of Hanji's POV (which is a treat for me since she's my favorite character), but with some Levi POV in the second half. I corrected a few things in the first chapter (Hanji is going to Mitras and not Trost disctrict, since Trost is not within wall Sina).  
> I hope you like this chapter, I really enjoyed writing it! Sorry if there are any mistakes, I do not have a beta and English is not my first language! More note at the end.  
> Enjoy.

"Hanji, you've been reading that same page for quite some time now."

Hanji jumped and looked up from the notebook she was holding, eyes wide. She _had_ been staring at the same page for a while, lost in thoughts.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"I said I was surprised not to find you in your lab last night."

"Ah..?" she answered, her hand jerking on the notebook.

"I even checked your room, but you weren't there either."

She looked at the person sitting across from her, feeling like a cornered animal. She hadn't spent the night in any of those places, but in Nanaba's room. She had been hiding there until dawn, refusing to answer the female soldier's questions and inquiries. When the first lights had started filtering through the curtains, Hanji had stood up and left quietly, going straight to Moblit's room to get dressed, knowing he would have prepare her formal outfit. She had then gone to wait by the carriage until Erwin had found her.

"Hanji."

"Yes, sorry, I'm just...thinking." she muttered, slowly turning the pages.

"May I ask what about?"

She looked back at the man seated in front of her with slightly confused eyes and he gave her a soft smile, encouraging her to speak. But she broke eye contact, choosing to tug at the curtain so she could take a look through the window of their carriage instead. She didn't want him to see the embarrassment on her face, not in such an important situation.

"It's nothing, Erwin, I'm just a bit nervous I guess."

She could feel the Commander's intense focus on her and, for a second, she thought he was going to push the matter.

"I see." he answered in a voice that she recognized. He was trying to sooth her, knowing that she would not talk about it.

He knew she was hiding something but he wouldn't make her talk about it if she didn't want to. This was a something she liked about Erwin, he knew exactly when to push her and when to stand back. He respected his soldiers, never lied to them, which made them respect him in return to the highest level. Most of them would give their life for him without a second thought, because they knew he would do the exact same thing. She liked to think she was one of those people, she had known the man for years now and she considered him to be a good friend and a great leader. She chanced a look in his direction, dropping the curtain and saw that he was back to reading his own notes. He was dressed in his official green coat which was tightly closed around his middle. His hair was brushed in his familiar hairstyle and he was cleanly shaved. He looked handsome and in perfect control of his image. This was also part of the job for him, to look powerful, trustworthy and reliable. Hanji never did that, preparing her clothes and smoothing them, she just took whatever looked like clothes and put it on. She only made an effort when she had official matters to attend like those, and even then, it was Moblit who made sure she had something ready in the morning.

"Did you know Levi came back yesterday from his mission?" he asked, scribbling something in his own notebook.

She froze and this time, didn't look up. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about, especially to Erwin. She was still mortified by what she had done. The scene that had happened the day before kept playing in her mind in an endless loop. What had she done? She remembered leaving Levi's room to go to hers and fetch her own notes but, without realizing, she had turned around and gone back. Her body had seemed to move on its own, almost running to the shorter man and before she knew it, she had hugged him.

Hugged him.

Was she _mad_? She had done that to Levi Ackerman like it was a socially acceptable thing to do. For a second she had been sure he was going to break both her arms and, as if that hadn't been bad enough, she had done this... _thing_. Had it been a kiss? She wasn't sure, she had never kissed anyone before. She had never really thought about it, kissing someone, being with someone, it had always seemed to be a...civilian thing. Regular people, they could fall in love, get married, have children, maybe even grandchildren, but soldiers? Soldiers couldn't have the luxury of love, not when their life could end at any moment. She knew some married people in the Garrison and Military, but none in the Scout. They were just not made for this.

She had always been interested in Levi, from the moment she had first seen him, the lethal grace of this movement when he was using the 3D maneuver gear and slicing into titans, the nonchalance he displayed when he walked and the shear power she could see in his eyes. It was something she was drawn to, leading her to form a bond with the shorter soldier. Everyone had warned her against him, told her not bother, that he was dangerous, that only someone crazy would try to befriend him. And hadn't that been the perfect job for "Crazy Hanji"? Because she knew they were probably saying the exact same thing about her. They could be weirdos together, and they had.

For quite some time now she had seen him as her friend, her comrade, until that day of the expedition. And when she had held Levi against her, when she had smelled his scent and touched his skin, she had felt something more. Her stomach had dropped so low that for a moment she had been breathless. The smell of his skin had made her lightheaded and...hungry. But for what?

"Yeah, he's the one who gave me the notebook." she forced herself to reply.

"Yes, he told me when he came for his report last night."

Oh, she had forgotten that. What had they talked about? Had Levi said anything about what had happened? He and Erwin were so close...had he?

"What...what did he say? I didn't get a chance to really talk to him." she asked, trying to sound relaxed.

Erwin frowned at something in his notes and circled it twice before looking at her.

"They lost several people to aberrant titans. The way they act and move is just unpredictable, which makes them more dangerous, like you said."

"Yes, that's what I thought." she said with more ease. She was in her territory here, it was easier for her to speak. "Because they don't have a straightforward attitude like normal titans, they are way more dangerous. I will make a short presentation on this particular subject this afternoon."

"I look forward to it, Levi was too tired yesterday so I didn't push him for more information." he stopped for a few seconds. "Thank you again for agreeing to stay behind, I know this expedition meant a lot to you."

"You said it was important for Levi, right?" she asked him.

"Yes. The military high rankings are asking questions. They don't understand why he is here and how he achieved the Captain grade so quickly. They think I'm being biased. If I can show them how good he is on his own they will lay off our back."

"And you knew that any information we found on abnormal titans would be important enough that they would remember the person who had led the expedition." she finished for him.

He looked at her with a mixture of pride and what looked like guilt.

"Exactly. I'm really sorry that I took that from you."

She looked down, feigning to go back to reading her notes. She _did_ mind that months of research and effort had been rewarded with her not being allowed to go. In any other circumstances she would have been furious, she would have probably gone anyway. But this had been to help Levi, so she had agreed. Her name would be on the papers anyway as lead scientist, she had thought, and Levi would get the recognition he deserved.

The carriage stopped before she could answer and Erwin opened the door, going out first. He waited for her to get down and for them to start walking towards the high building before talking again.

"How do you feel?"

She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head.

"Nervous, but the good kind." she said, looking up at the place where all the high rankings worked.

"Remember, some of them will try to downgrade your work."

"I know."

"I won't be there with you, since I have a meeting with commanders Pixis and Nile."

"Don't worry, I don't need you to help me. I'm going to blow those old men's mind." she said, a devious and toothy smile blooming on her face.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Erwin look at her with that same proud expression, which gave her even more confidence. She was used to receiving other sorts of looks. People saw her as a weird person, a marginal, they called her names like "Crazy Hanji", even Levi had called her "Abnormal" once. But they didn't know, couldn't recognize it for what it was, except Erwin. He called her "Genius" and "Smart", because he, as a special person, could _see_ her.

"I'm sure you will." he said before clasping a heavy hand on her shoulder. "See you this afternoon then."

"Yeah, I'll come find you." she said without looking at him.

Her attention was focused on the large red door at the end of the corridor. Behind that high and delicately ornamented door, was a group of dogs ready to take a chunk out of her.

 _Well let them fucking try_.

After her presentation, she had the rest of the morning off, so she went to check on the Science department of Mitras, made of the cleverest people. She had exchanged letters with one of them, who had expressed interest in her latest discovery on abnormal titans. She had been excited to meet them, even more so than her presentation. She grimaced at the thought of what she had just gone through, Erwin hadn't been lying when he had said they would try to eat her whole. She had been livid by their attitude and tendency to stir the conversation towards financial matter, costs and incomes. Didn't they realize how important her work was? What it could mean for them if they figured out where the titans came from? One of them had even questioned _her_ , finding it had to believe that she was the source of all that work. She had not expected this and had been thrown off guard when he had asked her:

"Are you sure you want to submit those projects as your own?" 

"Why wouldn't I?" she had answered, perplexed. "It's my work."

"Well, I see another name here, Moblit Berner? You listed him as contributor."

"Moblit Berner is my assistant." she had said, making him look up in disbelief.

Her face contorted in suppressed rage at the memory, this was something she was not used to face, misogyny. In the Scouts, every soldier was equal, because everyone of them was ready to give their life when the time came. Women were treated with the respect they were due and hierarchy mobility was as easy for them as it was for men. But here in Mitras, the rules were not the same. The room had been full of men, the entire building seemed occupied by men. She had hated the patronizing stare the old man had given her when she had stood her ground, and she had hated herself for not telling him to go fuck himself. Hopefully, her upcoming presentation would be received differently.

She arrived in the science wing of the building and took a minute to calm down. She needed to be on her best behavior if she wanted to create a long-lasting relationship with those guys. It would give her access to a wider range of information, which was always something she craved. When she started walking again, her head was held high.

The ride back was less awkward for her. She told Erwin everything that had been said in the morning, ending on the comment that had struck her nerve. The Commander sighed while tugging at his bolo tie.

"Was it a short, dark haired man with a mustache?" he asked tiredly.

"Yes."

"That's Theodor Gerstner, he's the General Accountant and a huge pain in the ass."

She looked at him in surprise before snorting in laughter. This was an unusual way of talking for Erwin, he only let himself go with a few people and often when he was really tired.

"Hard day for you too?"

"Very. Everything after the Commanders meeting was tiring."

"How did it go? The Commanders meeting. What do you even talk about?"

"We talk about several subjects: how best to cross information and create communication roads between our branches, who is going to be our successor as Commander, what are the new legislation in matter of..."

"Hang on," she cut him off, her curiosity picked. "You already chose someone to take your place?"

"Of course." he answered, removing his coat. "If anything happens to me, no time must be lost on this kind of decision."

She wanted to ask, she really did, but she didn't dare to. This was a sensitive subject, because this was a tough decision, to chose the person who would take your place if you died. When you died. How did one take such a decision?

"And are you satisfied with your choice?"

This time, he looked at her with an expression she did not recognize. There was an intensity to his stare that almost made her squirm in her seat. He stayed silent for a moment and, just as she thought he was not going to answer, that maybe she'd pushed the subject too far, he smiled softly.

"Yes, I believe I am."

She nodded and returned his smile.

They arrived at the headquarters just as the sun was going down and she looked at the building with relief. This was home. Sure, Mitras was a beautiful and interesting city, with everything a scientist like her could dream of with its huge libraries and laboratories. But she belonged here.

"There will be a diner tonight in memory of our fallen soldiers." Erwin said when they went through the front door.

"Alright, I will wait tomorrow to resume my work then." she said as they reached the point where they would separate.

"Thank you for your hard work, Squad leader." he told her before saluting her.

She took a moment to salute him back and then started walking towards her room, before stopping mid-stride. What if she came face to face with Levi? She didn't think she was ready to face him yet. Her face grew hot at the thought, what would she even say? That was if she even got the chance to talk, the shorter man was probably out for blood. She sighed and, instead of turning right, where her corridor was, she turned left. Maybe Nanaba wouldn't be too angry to see her hogging her bed again.

\---------

Levi had been training outside all day on his sword fight abilities when he had spotted the carriage from afar. He had quickly jumped on the side, which had made him lend right behind a big oak tree at the edge of the building. The same snarky voice inside his head told him he was being a coward again, because he knew who would come out of there. A few seconds later, he saw the side door open and Erwin came out first. Even from there, he could see that the tall blonde looked tired, he had dropped his coat and the sleeves of his shirt were pulled up. The Commander looked behind him just as Hanji was climbing down. He couldn't see her face, but the stiff way she held herself showed she was also tired. Levi felt a jolt in his stomach that went through his entire body and felt the hair rise on his nape. While the two soldiers began walking, he turned his back on them, feeling a wave of embarrassment hit him. What the hell was wrong with him? This was Hanji, stupid, four-eyed Hanji, why would he react this way?

He went back towards the horse boxes where he had left his cape and equipment and put it back on. When he started walking back towards the building, the other two were gone. Erwin must have gone back to his office, and Hanji to her room. Should he go see her? He felt his insides churn in answer, but kept walking. What kind of man was he if he couldn't even face her? He hurried back to his room, not stopping when he walked past Hanji's room. He needed to bathe first, the smell of his own sweat was making him uneasy. He still had some time before tonight's diner, he could try and talk to her.

He had put some water to boil before leaving, so drawing a mildly warm bath was easy. He scrubbed himself quickly and got dressed with a long sleeve grey top that fitted him perfectly and black trousers. When he was satisfied with his appearance, he exited his room and walked along the corridor, towards Hanji's door. However, the closer he got, the slower he walked, and he was exasperated with himself by the time he got there. Why was he this anxious? It wasn't like him to be this stressed out over futile matters like these. He never cared about what people thought of him, because everyone got the wrong idea. They saw him as a thug, a heartless bastard full of himself, and maybe he was, but not with Hanji. She had talked to him that first time like she talks to everyone: openly, friendly, without any prejudice. With her, he could be more like himself, calmer, less cold and incisive. He wasn't afraid to be stabbed in the back or attacked when it was just to two of them, and it was such a relief when he was so used to be on edge. He took a deep breath, this was Hanji, he reminded himself, whatever happened, it would be fine.

_And if something goes wrong, I can always punch the lights off her._

He knocked at her door and waited. When no sound came, he knocked again, harder.

"Shitty glasses, open up!"

But nobody came to the door. He shifted on his feet, was she mad at him for some reason? What the hell, she was the one who had...

"Oi Four-Eyes! I'll break down your door if you don't open!" he yelled and, with a hard knock, the door swung open. "Shit." he hissed, he hadn't meant to hit that hard, but the door was unlocked.

He stepped in and looked around. The room was empty, had been for a while judging by the tidied bed (it would be messy if she had slept in it) and closed curtains. She clearly hadn't spent the night here and hadn't even come back after her arrival.

She was definitely avoiding him.

He was going to fucking _kill_ her.

\---------

Hanji was hurrying down the steps leading to the main room, where the diner would take place. Stupid Nanaba, making her wash up and change her clothes, she had been perfectly fine with the way she had been dressed. But the blonde soldier had taken her shirt and thrown it in her dirty clothes bin, insisting that she smelled of cold sweat. What a shame, she had just started wearing it this morning, this shirt would have gone at least 3 or 4 more days. So she had run to her room to get her familiar yellow shirt and put it on haphazardly before running back downstairs. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and tied it up while she was entering the room. The tables had all been moved to the side near the walls in order to create a big open space. It was full of people, as expected. It was a tradition for them to pay their respect to fallen soldiers by having a diner in their honor, this way, no one was left alone to their dark thoughts, not that night anyway.

She walked in and quickly lost herself in the mass of people, saying hello to a few people before bumping into Moblit.

"Squad leader!" he exclaimed upon seeing her. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Ahh sorry Moblit." she answered, scratching her head before taking the cup he was offering her. "I had things to do before coming here."

"I was hoping to hear about your presentation." he said, voice full of disapproval. He knew she was lying but didn't take her on that.

"It went fine." she said, taking a sip of wine. "Although they were more interested in numbers than in facts. And by whether or not the lead scientist had something between their legs." she added sourly before taking a bigger gulp.

Moblit looked at her with surprise.

"Squad leader, how many cups of wine have you had?"

She threw her head and let out a barking laughter before her eyes caught sight of a small figure lurking at the far end of the room, making her choke. She grabbed Moblit's arm and pulled him alongside her. 

"Let's get in front for Erwin's speech." she said, and even she could hear the panic in her voice.

Knowing the dark-haired soldier, he was going to spend the evening away from people, leaning on the farthest wall, lurking in the darkest corner. He liked to blind in, to be invisible in order to observe people. He never seemed to rest, calculating, trying to be one step ahead of everything. So she walked until they were in he second row in the mass of people that had gathered in front of the improvised stage. After a moment, Erwin came in from a side door, wearing a white shirt with the Scout Corps symbol embroidered on the front pocket. He climbed on the set of tables that had been put together and looked down at the soldiers.

"My fellow soldiers, it is with great sadness that we gather tonight in memory of the soldiers that have fallen during our last expedition. This diner was originally meant to share with you the results of my journey to the Capital, but I would rather we dedicate our time and thoughts to the people who gave their lives for us to get there."

A heavy silence fell in the room.

"Before we start, it is my duty to announce the renewal of the Scout Corps' annual budget, given the excellent results we were able to provide. I would like to thank all of you for your effort and look forward to working with you this year as well. I would also like to take the occasion to congratulate Squad Leader Hanji Zoë for her scientific achievements, which led to a 10% increase of our allocated budget for the year to come."

He raised his cup towards her and she felt her face heat up. She was not used to getting compliments publicly. She was kind of a weirdo within the Survey Corps and he work was usually tagged as "weird titan stuff". She had never really had that much of an impact, and the reactions she had had this morning hadn't led her to believe in anything like this. She gave her Commander a shy smile and raised her own cup, around her, she could see people doing the same and, when she turned around, she saw that Moblit was bringing a chair for her to hop on, which she did.

"I am deeply honored to have worked alongside those soldiers." she said. "Their sacrifice got us a few steps closer to the truth. I _will_ find out the truth about the titans in their honor: Isabel, Fiona, Ansgar, Adrian, Jacob, Edith and Marie. I swear they will not be forgotten."

The sound of clapping echoed in the room and Hanji took the opportunity to try and talk to Erwin, wanting to know what he was told of her presentation. The man hadn't said a word about it during the ride back, had he been planning on surprising her with the news? She got a glimpse of his back among the people and raised her free hand.

"Eh! Erwin! ERWIN! Erw...Aargh!" she choked, feeling her collar close on her throat as someone was pulling at it from the back.

Someone was dragging her from behind across the room, someone with a strong grip. She only knew one person who would dare and who could do that with so much ease. Damn his supernatural strength.

She felt the cold air strike her as she exited the room and was dragged in the corridor. She tugged at her collar.

"Argh...Levi! I can't breathe!"

The pressure on her throat disappeared instantly but, before she could sigh in relief, she felt an iron grip close on her forearm instead.

"Ow, ow ow, Levi, you can let go!"

"What, so you can run off and avoid me some more?" he snapped at her without turning.

She looked at the back of his head, speechless. He knew she had been avoiding him, of course he did. And he was understandingly angry with her. So she followed him in silence, expecting him to take her to his room, but she was surprised to see him stop in front of her door.

"What are you...WOW!" she tried to jump aside when he gave a hard kick, the wood giving a long whine under his foot as the door was thrown open. "What the hell was that for?! If you break my door, I'm the one who'll be in trouble you know!"

Instead of answering, he pulled her one last time inside and she caught herself on her desk before hearing the door slam closed. Behind her, she could hear a rapid and ragged breathing.

"Explain yourself." the familiar ice cold voice echoed behind her. " _Now,_ before I break your face."

She knew he wasn't going to hurt her, well not too much, but his voice was so menacing that it made her unable to move. Where was she even supposed to start? As she thought, she had gone too far, had crossed a line. She knew Levi was not a touchy person and she had never seen him affectionate towards anyone. She understood that she was different than regular people because she was allowed certain things, like entering his personal space or touching him. The mere fact that she was allowed in his room was a privilege, however, he had boundaries that were not to be crossed. And she had crossed them.

"Levi..." she said, straightening herself but still not facing him. "I'm..."

"Don't you fucking say you're sorry!" he snapped at her.

"Well what do you want me to say!" she yelled in return and this time, she did turn.

Levi was standing in front of her at a distance, arm crossed. He was wearing formal clothes and everything about him was clean and in order. She had never realized how good looking he was, especially with those fitting clothes.

"Anything other than this." he answered, eyes hard.

\----------

Why was she apologizing again? For some reason, it made him feel on edge, that she would be sorry for what she had done. In a way, it made it looked like she regretted her act. Did she? He was having a hard time reading her since he was so worked up. She looked at him like she was haunted, and he could see the purple shade under her eyes, the tightness of her shoulders that indicated she was starting to get sleep deprived. He hadn't chosen the best moment to have that talk, but he was as tired as she was and he couldn't wait. He was not a patient person.

"You know the names." he said when she didn't answer.

She didn't need to ask what he meant to understand.

"I do. Nifa wrote them in the notebook. I added them to my research so their name won't be lost."

He looked at her as a storm of feelings hit him. This woman, after spending each day with her for years, still managed to knock him off his feet. The way she acted, the way she thought, it was so different from what he'd seen or witnessed, she was not like any other person he'd met. He didn't really understand how, after everything that she'd seen and experienced, she could still be so empathic, so open. This was not a world where empathic people could last for long. They got eaten alive, by both titans and people.

This was a cruel world after all.

"You hid." he said after taking a calming breathe. "After you left my room, you went to hide."

Hanji straightened up and, after a moment where she seemed to battle with several emotions, looked at him. Her eyes had that quality to them that made him want to do something stupid. 

"I did." she answered, her deep voice echoing between them.

"Why?" he asked, remembering how he had stood in the same position, asking the same question the day before, when he had thought her cleaning his room was the weirdest thing she'd done.

"Can't you tell?" she said before removing her glasses to wipe them off.

He knew this was her own defense mechanism, to remove her glasses, when the world was unfocused it made it easier for her to calm down. Part of him felt slightly guilty for making her nervous, but he was probably as nervous as she was.

"I honestly can't." he replied.

And wasn't that just perfect? For them to be unable to read each other when this was what they needed most? There were times when they could almost finish each other's sentences and he had been convinced he knew her pretty well. And then she'd flipped everything upside down with just the tip of her lips.

"Great." she muttered, continuing to wipe her glasses with the hem of her shirt, which made him wince internally. "Perfect, now is the time we can't communicate."

"Hanji." he said, taking a step forward. "Just talk for fuck's sake..."

"I was embarrassed!!" she snapped and if he had been a regular person he would have jumped at the outburst. 

He stopped and waited for her to calm down. After a few seconds, she put her glasses on the desk and looked up.

"I was embarrassed because I know...I know you don't..."

She heaved a deep sigh, looking more tired than she had when they had entered her room.

"I don't what?" he asked stiffly.

"I know you don't like this, being touched...like that."

He gritted his teeth, they were entering a realm Levi was comfortable with: feelings.

After the death of his mother, he had been sure that he would never feel anything ever again. The time he had spent in that room had killed everything inside of him, leaving a cold emptiness. But you couldn't move forward with an empty soul, so he had filled his with anger and rage and they had helped him walk through all the horrors thrown at him. But since that day, when a woman had stormed into his life and had set her amber eyes on him, praised him, he had slowly started to feel things. Annoyance at her antics, disgust at her hygiene, but also admiration at the genius that exulted from her. He had started observing her, trying to get familiar with each of her personalities: the intense scientist who would put her life in danger for a chance to touch a titan, the warm and smiling woman who would patch up other soldiers on her free time, the calmer and sadder part of her that only a few people could see, like she was right now. 

He gave a noncommittal hum, not knowing what to say. She seemed to take that as an approbation.

"I know you don't like...intimacy, and I would never..."

"What?" he interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Who told you that?"

"Um...everyone?" she answered. "You've shut down quite a few people who tried."

He looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"What the fuck do you even mean?" he asked icily.

"Well, Fiona from Squad 4 tried to ask you out but you told her to _keep walking_ when she approached you." 

He didn't remember this encounter.

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

She looked at him with dubious eyes for a few seconds before they grew wider in surprise.

"Wow, you really didn't know."

"No."

"You are not aware of anyone one in the Survey who would be interested in you?"

"Why the fuck would I?" he asked again, angry. He didn't like this topic, it made him uneasy. "It doesn't matter anyway, people like that, they don't even know me, I don't really interest them."

He had been intimate with some women, but they hadn't liked him, they had liked the _idea_ of him. They had wanted to know what it was like to be with Levi Ackerman, humanity's Strongest. Or they wanted a forbidden adventure with a thug, a dangerous man. But quickly, he had lost interest in those kind of encounters, he couldn't lose time in trivial things like these.

"And...do you think I'm like them?" he heard softly and he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Are you?" he replied automatically before cursing himself.

Shit. He hadn't meant to say that, not to her. But he did want to know what she thought. He silently looked at her. Her eyes looked at him in disbelief before turning hard.

"Why would you even ask that?" she said, her voice turning menacing. "You think, what, that I want a wild night with oh Levi Ackerman?" it took two long strides for her to be in front of him, glasses forgotten on the desk. "You think I'd throw myself at you just like that? I barely even touched you and it was the most I had ever..."

Her mouth snapped shut before she finished and, even in the dim light filtering through the door, he could see her flush a deep crimson. Without her glasses on, her eyes seemed to sparkle with confusion and a myriad of emotions he couldn't decipher. It was the first time he saw this expression on her face, and the realization of the meaning behind her words rooted him to the spot.

"You've never been with a man before." he said unable to hide the disbelief in his voice.

"So what?" she answered, raising her head. "You think that's weird?"

"No."

He was simply too stunned to say anything else. He had never given a thought about it, Hanji's love life, but now that he did, he realized that she had in fact never been known to be in a relationship. Couples were not a common thing in the Scout Corps, people didn't live long enough for that. Besides, the idea of being linked to someone that deeply was dangerous. They needed to be focused on their missions, on their expeditions. Give your heart, right? That was the Scout corp motto, not your body, not your life, your _heart_. There was a reason for that choice of word. They couldn't be sidetracked by anything else, they were to give their everything to the mission. And how would they do that if their mind was thinking of someone else? Would they still all be eager to go on expeditions, on risking their life if they knew that they had someone waiting for them, expecting them to come back alive? If they had a future planned?

And this was exactly what had happened when he had left for that expedition. He hadn't been fully focused on the mission, part of him clinging to the last image he'd had of her. While he was riding towards the unknown, he had realized silently that he hadn't wanted this to be the last discussion between them, that he hadn't wanted to die without giving her the chance to say what had been on her mind. Whatever that was.

All along his ride back home, the same vile and malicious voice that liked to belittle him had whispered in his ears. What if this was why he hadn't been able to save them? Had he failed to protect any of those who had died, because he had been too focused on _feelings_?

"Relationships are dangerous." he said, looking up at her.

"They are." she answered, surprising him. 

She was looking at him like she had followed his train of thought, which for the first time made him feel exposed. 

"Then what?" he said.

She looked away and her eyes seemed unfocused, like she was somewhere else. 

"I don't know." she answered truthfully. 

"Do you even want..." he started saying before his mouth snapped shut. He couldn't finish that kind of sentence, it was too...emotional for someone like him.

 _Do you even want to be with someone like me_? was what he wanted to ask. Both of them had become friends because they were both outsiders. He was the thug, the dangerous one you didn't approach. He was the striking hand of the Scout corps, a force of nature that was respected and feared. But nobody really like _him_ , Levi Ackerman, mainly because he had a despicable personality. People kept their distance, except for Hanji. The first time she had talked to him, he had put her in that category of people who only were attracted to his strength. He had despised what he thought were fake words used to coax him into anything, like becoming her strong arm of something for her to boast about. However, the more he had learned about her, the more he had understood that she too was special, and that, for reasons even he didn't understand, she seemed to like his company. To like _him_. She actually listened to the things he said, treating him like a person. She seemed to be the only one to see the Levi hidden behind Humanity's Strongest. And that scared the crap out of him.

Her eyes were back on him and, when she spoke, her voice was tainted with that same power that he had heard the day before. It made his entire being jerk. 

\-----------

What had he just said? She knew this was important, that there was an unspoken _something_ behind his words. She looked back at him and he seemed deep in thoughts. It was probably the same question that had made her run away and hide, the one that had kept her quiet when he had been about to leave that day. She waited for him to look back at her before answering, conveying everything that she couldn't say in the tone of her voice. 

"Levi, you and I, we look so different, and we are, on the outside. But I think it's more than this. The two of us, it's like we're two sides of a coin, completely different at first glance, but part of the same whole. And I know you, you're a jerk, an asshole, you hit before you talk and you could do with some lessons on how to talk to people. And you're right it _is_ dangerous, and scary as hell because I had never given it much thought before and I don't even know if I can do it. I'm broken and weird and maybe I'm not even functional enough to do it."

She sighed and rubbed at her eyes, walking back toward her desk to retrieve her glasses, she didn't know if she was making any sense, but this was important. She needed him to understand her. She looked back at him, a small smile on her lips.

"But you know Levi, if I was to start anything like this...It would be with you."

She saw his eyes widen slightly and his whole face seemed to crumble, as if something had broken inside him. Then, in the blink of an eye he was on her. For a wild second, she thought he was going to do attack her like the night before and she slid a hand between her back and her desk to protect it from the incoming impact. However, when he reached her, his hands came to cradle her face and he pulled her downwards until their foreheads smashed together with so much force she had to grit her teeth to keep her grunt of pain.

"Levi..." she started, but his hands squeezed her face harder.

"Shut up. Shut up, please... _shit_ , why would you even say something like that?" he whispered, sounding desperate.

He was breathing hard against her skin and, after a few seconds, he raised his face again. He looked wrecked, like she'd punched him in the guts. She didn't want to see this look on his face, let alone be the reason for it. He was looking deep into her eyes, as if looking for an answer...to what? She was so lost herself, what comfort could he possibly find there? She could feel something tugging at her chest, that same feeling that had made her go to his room, so she closed her eyes and pushed forward. And this time, she _did_ kiss him. She felt a jolt of electricity go through her entire being when their lips touched and her skin started tingling. She was so shocked that she leaned back, opening her eyes, to find the shorter man looking at her with wide eyes. He seemed speechless, the shock smoothing his features and making him look younger, more innocent, if she could use that word to describe him.

"What..." he said, dumbfounded.

"Hang on." she interrupted. "Let me..." she said before leaning in again.

This time, she kissed him properly, tenderly, her right hand cupping the back of his head to keep him in place. Part of her was worried he would back away, wipe his mouth and leave. However, after a few seconds where he seemed frozen, he seemed to snap out of it and she felt his hands close on her arms, his iron grip hard enough to bruise. She had always found it fascinating, the raw strength he could unleash despite his small stature. Levi Ackerman was a force of nature, and where people found it terrifying, she found it thrilling. And now, with him holding her like that, she could feel his powerful aura engulfing her, which should have been scary, but was exhilarating. He pushed her until her back hit the desk, lightly this time, before pulling down until her knees gave away. She felt herself go down, only to land on her chair, so that he was the one bending down. She would have thanked him if her brain hadn't completely shut down, an unusual thing for her, who had to work several nights in a row for her brain to calm down and let her sleep. But now, with the simple touch of his mouth, Levi had laid waste to her mind, leaving it blank. It should have terrified her, but she reveled in it. He removed one hand from her arm and she gasped when she felt his hand through her hair until he was grabbing her by her ponytail. He often did that, grab her hair, when he was scolding her on her hygiene, or on something else. She'd wondered how a clean freak like him could touch her greasy hair without a second thought. This time, he used his hold on her to tilt her head upward and, taking advantage of her open mouth, dipped his tongue inside it, gently touching hers with the tip of it.

Oh. _Oh_. This was better than anything she had ever experienced, and she was a scientist. She was used to the thrill of experimentation, the rush of adrenaline she had when she got an idea. But _this_ , this was a whole other realm of emotions and sensations she had never experienced. She could taste him, which was weird to say, but she felt like she'd be able to recognize him by the taste of his mouth. Her nose was full of his scent, the same one she had smelled the night before, only lighter and mixed with his regular soap. She vaguely wondered what she smelled to him.

After a moment, Levi broke the kiss and pulled away. She was unable to move, head tilted upwards and eyes closed, she was trying to compose herself before facing him. She felt him run his thumb on her bottom lip and she opened her eyes. She was not prepared for the sight in front of her. Levi looked dazed, glassy eyes trained on her face and mouth, he kept touching her lip, her jaw, the corner of her eye. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips, catching the last remains of his essence, and she saw him follow the action with unreadable grey eyes. His pupils were blown wide and she knew what it meant. She let herself fall back on her chair and dropped her head in her hands for a few seconds before looking up again. He too seemed to have regained his composure and she saw him take a step back. 

"Woah..." she half whispered, half chuckled.

"Yeah." he answered.

She bent down to retrieve her glasses, which had fallen at a certain point and put them back on, the room coming back into focus.

"Did you..." she hesitated, this was a stupid question, but after what had just happened, she felt bold. "Did you like that?"

He raised a sassy eyebrow at her.

"Really? That's what your shitty mouth comes up with?"

Hearing the familiar insult made her want to weep in relief. Now that the crushing pressure was off, she felt like her _Levi sense_ was clicking back on, like she could read him again. He was bringing them on common grounds, lightening the air so they could think straight and not feel awkward. She wondered if he ever felt awkward, since he didn't seem to care about what other people thought. But she liked to think he cared about what she thought of him. He wouldn't have asked her that aborted question otherwise. She smiled at him, letting her relief and all the emotions she had held bleed into it. In return, he looked at her like she was out of her mind. It was okay, because when it was Levi looking at her like that, he always had a softer glint in his eyes.

"I don't really know what else to say." she replied before standing up, only to be slapped in the face with something he threw at her.

Her hands closed on fabric and she pulled from her face what looked like a black jacket. She frowned at him in confusion.

"Let's go back to the diner." he said, turning back. "I want to eat something before we go back to my room."

"Yeah, I _am_ hungry." she said, taking a step towards the door before freezing.

What had he just said? Before we go back to my room. _We_. Together. She felt her face grow hot as a warm feeling was settling somewhere inside her chest. Somewhere in the corridor, she heard him call out in an annoyed voice.

"You're coming or what?!"

"Yeah yeah!" she answered, pulling her jacket over her shirt and exiting the room.

The corridor was cold and she silently thanked the shorter man for the small gesture. This was how Levi Ackerman expressed himself, not in many words, but in small gestures that almost went unseen if you weren't looking properly. She ran to catch up with him as he was putting his hands in his pockets. They walked silently in the dimly lit corridors.

"Did you?" he asked after a moment, voice barely audible. 

She bit back a smile but failed. She didn't need to ask what he meant.

"Yeah, very much." she said, looking down at him. "It was a very good first kiss."

She expected him to scoff or say something mocking, but he surprised her by turning to look at her, his grey eyes boring into hers.

"Yes, it really was."

Something in the tone of his voice made her frown again, and then her eyebrows shot back up in surprise.

"This was your first time?!" she almost yelled.

"Shut the fuck up, Four-Eyes!" he hissed at her. "You want the whole building to hear you?"

"But..." she continued, too dumbfounded to care. "I thought you'd already been with women that way."

"I didn't say I hadn't been with women." he answered. "I was talking about what we did, you and I."

She blinked stupidly at him and he sighed, closing his eyes.

"Nevermind." he said and started walking faster, only for her to catch him by the arm.

"No wait, sorry, I was just so surprised." she said and both of them stopped.

They had arrived in front of the doors leading to the diner and both of them could hear the people inside.

"You've never kissed anyone before either?" she whispered. "Why?"

He looked at her for a moment, seeming to decide whether or not to answer, searching her face for something. Just when she thought he wouldn't answer, he once again seemed to dive into her eyes, pinning her to the spot.

"I just never met someone I wanted to do that with before."

He looked away and this time, she saw the embarrassment on his face as he grimaced. There were so many questions dancing in her head right now: why, what, _how_? But this was clearly too much for him for the moment, so she reigned herself in and decided it was her time to try and make things less awkward.

"So, does that mean you're ready for some danger?" she asked.

He looked back at her with questioning eyes before understanding lit them up. _Relationships are dangerous_ , he had said, she was asking him if this had been a one time thing or if he was willing to try, see what they could become together, without any labels, just the two of them becoming something more than just themselves. 

He used one hand to grab the knob of the door and the other to put it on her arm, just a light touch that somehow felt really intimate. 

"You know me," he said, an almost invisible smile tugging at his lips. "I'm a dangerous man."

And with that, he opened the door, letting the light pour outside and tugged her alongside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's it for this story, I really liked writing some Levihan, I think this pairing is awesome. I'm pretty sure I'll be writing some more of this ship, so stay tuned if you're interested. I also liked writing some Erwin/Hanji dynamic, I love his character as well and I wanted to underline how he saw and respected her.  
> Thank you very much for your kudos and reviews, this was my first English fanfiction (I have several French stories on the website Fanfiction.net).

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally meant to be a one shot, as I only came up with the "Hanji cleans Levi's room" idea while cleaning my house, but now that I've written this piece, I may try to write a follow-up chapter. Maybe with more of Hanji's pov? What do you think?


End file.
